Turkish media is reporting that Egyptian cleric Wagdy Ghoneim and two other leaders of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood have arrived in Istanbul following their departure from Qatar. According to a Chihan News Agency report, Jamal Abdul Sattar said that their departure was the result of “dialog” to reduce pressure on Qatar and that they were not restricted from re-entering the country:
September 19, 2014 ISTANBUL Following President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an’s statement welcoming Egypt’s banned Muslim Brotherhood (MB) leaders who were recently asked to leave Qatar, a member of the MB, Jamal Abdul Sattar, has arrived in ?stanbul with two other members of the organization, and said he preferred Turkey due to the country’s position opposing the military regime in Egypt, according to a report.
Al Jazeera Turk reported on Friday that the former deputy head of the Egyptian Religious Affairs Directorate, who has been in exile in Qatar, has moved to Turkey and plans to live in ?stanbul. Sattar said two other people, namely the foreign relations officer of the MB Amr Darrag and the Egyptian cleric Wajdi Ghoneem have come to Turkey as well.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Turk in ?stanbul Sattar said he has not received an official invitation from Turkish leaders but he decided to choose Turkey to live due to the country’s support of people’s freedom in the region.
According to international press reports, several members of the group are attempting to relocate after Qatar came under enormous pressure from other Gulf Arab states to cut support for the Islamist group.
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The GMBDW had reported Friday that Wagdy Ghoneim, known for his long history of extremist statements, had posted a video on his YouTube channel in which he call Western action against ISIS “a Crusader war” and calls the late Osama Bin Laden the “martyred heroic mujahid, Bin Laden.”
The GMBDW reported last week that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who said that Egyptian Brotherhood leaders departing Qatar could be granted entry to Turkey as long as laws permitted. The GMBDW had reported earlier on the announcement by the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood that a number of its leaders had been asked by Qatar to leave the country. Subsequently we reported on Turkey and Malaysia as possible destinations for these individuals.
For our analysis of the meaning of these events, go here.
For a profile on Wagdy Ghoneim, go here.